Dark clouds lie ahead
by Electra11
Summary: What really happened on the Nomad between the Skull Mountain battle and the storm that washed Maeve overboard? A missing scene from "The Sacrifice".


_Disclaimer: Just the usual. Don't mine, don't sue._

_All right... my muse is giving me weird attacks these days, must be the weather. Too much hot! LOL  
This is a short missing scene from "The Sacrifice", Season 2 premiere... it's the hour before the storm changing AOS forever. I hope you'll like it. :)_

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Doubar sighed watching from the tiller his little brother shouting orders with the same harshness he used when they were under attack, even if it was a perfectly normal morning: the sun was shining upon the Nomad, wind was engulfing their sails giving them a smooth speed on the waves, the crew was moving as one person and working as perfectly as ever.

"If only Maeve could open her eyes..." he muttered, casting a sideway glance to Rongar who nodded darkly, a frown on his face while staring at Sinbad moving fast on deck. Their resident sorceress apprentice was everything but well, slipping away from them day by day despite Firouz efforts. Everything had started with a chill after the battle at the Skull Mountain, and since that day Maeve's health has been worsening. It was like something was devouring her strength from the inside, suffocating the fire in her like a cloud of dust.

Doubar snapped out of his thoughts when Rongar nudged him, nodding to Sinbad coming to them with a fast pace, a frown on his dishevelled face. As if losing day by day their lass wasn't painfully enough, they were slowly losing their captain, too. Sinbad was taking Maeve's illness bad, trying to cope with the pain of losing the woman he loved in every way he knew. Much to Doubar dismay, he stop caring about anyone and himself, his hairs growing longer and unkept, his face often unshaven for days when the celtic sorceress wasn't around to scold him.

His attitude had got even worse after Maeve passed out without waking up anymore three days earlier, when their stubborn sorceress apprentice had took down the strange sea monster facing them with a well placed fireball, despite Sinbad trying to stop her. He brought her back in her cabin, ordering Firouz not to leave her side, then started wandering restlessly around the ship, trying to keep himself busy.

"Brand new attire, little brother?" Doubar asked when Sinbad joined him and Rongar, staring at the unusual leather pants and tight vests he was showing that day. He was really turning to the dark side, if he was using pirate gearing now.  
"Suits my mood." Sinbad answered, nodding briefly "Anything from Firouz?" he asked with a glint of hope in his tired eyes.  
"He hasn't came on deck today yet." he sighed, shaking regretfully his head, noticing Sinbad shoulders slumping for a moment before the captain could stead himself, the usual frown back in place.  
"Aye." he muttered, before shaking his head darkly and taking the way to the galley without any more word spoken, leaving behind his elder brother and the moor before disappearing inside the Nomad, almost stumbling against the inventor.  
"Sinbad...! Right here you are...!" he exclaimed excitedly "I was coming to get you..."

"Is she awake?" Sinbad asked uncertain, placing both his hands on the arms of Firouz, who nodded with a smile. The captain couldn't help but smile widely, patting his hand on his friend back before quickly peeking inside the sorceress cabin.

Maeve was sitting against a couple of cushions, her fiery hairs framing her pale face, looking expectantly to the door when she heard Sinbad voice. She smiled tiredly when he appeared in the door frame, and they stared at each other for a couple of moments before Maeve quirked an eyebrow playfully.  
"Leather pants?" she asked, giggling, bringing a rebellious lock behind her ear while staring affectionately at the captain. Sinbad lowered his gaze to his attire almost sheepishly, before clearing his voice and stare to the celtic sorceress.  
"They're not that bad..." he almost pouted walking in the cabin, only to gain a new outburst of laughter from Maeve.  
"I didn't tell you they're bad... but I heard that the latest trend in pirate fashion is the eye patch... you should try that too, maybe..." she teased him gently turning her head up to stare at him while the captain rolled his eyes and leaned on the bedstead.  
"Oh shut up..." he grumbled, silencing her with a hungry kiss that caught the sorceress off guard. After a brief hesitation Maeve cupped gently his cheeks, kissing him back until Sinbad parted from her and pressed his forehead to hers, eyes closed.  
"You've to stop to scare me like this..." he mumbled, opening his eyes to stare at her. Maeve melted at the pain in those eyes she loved so much, caressing his cheek.

"And you've to stop using such a nice way of giving orders, captain, because I think even Omar of Basra heard you..." Maeve pointed out with a smile, earning a snort from Sinbad.  
"I'm serious, Maeve..." he hissed sitting on the bedside,  
"Me too, Sinbad. You should stop with this bad manners, this is not the captain we know."

"Don't try to divert my attention... You know you shouldn't have thrown that fireball...! You're ill! You should save your energy!" he snapped.  
"I haven't got any energy to save, since I'm NOT ill!"  
"Sure, because you were always out for three days after throwing a fireball!  
"Sinbad... but don't you understand? THIS IS MAGIC!" Maeve snapped in desperation, before taking a deep breath and turn her gaze to the pavement.

"Magic...?"

"Probably Rumina." Maeve admitted, fidgeting with the duvet. "I've been suspecting it for a while, and I've tried a spell from Dim Dim books to check it shortly before I had to knock that sea monster out. I'm cursed, Sinbad." she sighed, shrugging meekly her shoulders.  
"Are you sure...?"  
"Did you listen to me at all...? They're toying with me, that's why I don't care to save my energies. If I don't understand what they put on me, it's just a matter of time.. soon or later I'll be killed." Maeve sighed, placing a hand on the captain arm when she noticed him tensing.  
"No. It can't end like this..." Sinbad muttered, staring in her eyes before reaching out to caress reverently her cheek. "We'll go to Basra. To see Cairpra. She'll know what to do." he announced, the sorceress nodding at him. "I'm not losing you."  
"You'll never lose me, captain..." she smiled, leaning in his touch "Part of the Nomad crew once, part of the Nomad crew forever..."  
"You know what I mean." he whispered with a serious glance.  
"Yes, I know..."

They kissed again, slowly, more tenderly than earlier, before Maeve smiled playfully at him, poking him in his ribs.  
"And while we're on our way to Basra, I'll have to shorten those hairs of yours Sinbad... and throw those leather pants overboard, how are you resisting with them on without boiling?" she teased, Sinbad rolling his eyes.  
"We'll see. Are you up for a walk back on deck? I'm sure Doubar and Rongar will be delighted to see you back on your feet, sleepyhead..."  
"I'm not a sleepyhead... and of course I want to come on deck, I hate being stuck there if not necessary..."

Sinbad carefully helped her up, ready to catch her if she showed any weakness. While he stared at that beautiful pale face, he vowed himself they were definitively heading to Basra, to see Cairpra. And if she was really cursed, whoever did was going to pay... he wasn't losing her, he couldn't afford to lose her. In the latest three days he had so many regrets about her... there were so many things he never got the chance to tell her, first off how much he cared about her. How much he loved her.

"Maeve...?"

The sorceress looked up at him from her boots, a puzzled expression on her face, but before Sinbad could said anything better, the Nomad rolled abruptly and a shout from Doubar could be heard from the deck.

"SINBAD! A STORM IS COMING!"

"Storm? There were no clouds at all... !" the captain mumbled, bewildered, taking a couple of steps in the direction of the door.  
"Than we'd better hurry. Could be magic." Maeve sighed, stringing her gauntlet to her waist before glaring to Sinbad. "Oh no, sailor, forget about it." she snorted at his face.

"You should stay there, you just recovered."

"You would have to tie me up, and we've no time for that. Come on! As a plus, Dermott is out there, and I'm not staying down in my cabin if he's in danger!" Maeve glared at him, taking his arm while heading the galley.

"Just try to stay safe..." he sighed, following her.  
"I'll stay safe. I promise." she smirked back, earning a smile from Sinbad. He nodded, opening the door back on deck, ready to face the storm. He didn't know yet that it was about to change his life for a long, long time coming.

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_Review? Pretty please?_


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